Earlier this week I went to Tokyo to see my old friends, an indy band called Yucca, who had a show on Wednesday. I’ve been back to Tokyo a few times since I lived there, but this was the first time that I actually had free time to explore and see places that I’ve been missing. I had forgotten just how much I absolutely adore that city. It’s one of the greatest towns on the planet as far as I’m concerned.
Anyhow, while I was wandering the streets during the day on Wednesday, I took some video with my Digital Harinezumi camera, which I’m mostly enjoying using. It’s a small camera which takes videos that mimic the look of old 8mm films. Usually I really love the style that it produces, but sometimes it simply looks like crappy digital video. The shots I got of the band playing are definitely my favorite.
The song is Tokyo, by Headlights.
Currently watching: Kouhaku Uta Gassen
On the evening of New Year’s Eve every year Japan’s biggest music stars gather in one concert hall to participate in a boys-versus-girls singing competition called “Uta Gassen.” The Japanese TV network NHK has been showing “Uta Gassen” for the past 60 years and it is one of the biggest TV events of the year in Japan. I’ve heard a ton about it, and I’m excited to finally be watching it for the first time.
I Go I Go I Go by Wave Machines
Being in Japan, it’s rather hard to stay in the loop on pop culture. You have to really actively work to stay up-to-date on things, which I never had to do before because I was young, living in LA, and on tumblr and twitter and facebook. Thankfully, those last three services—along with the rest of the wealth of the internet—are still available to me overseas and they have become my greatest ally in keeping up with the times, but I still find myself falling behind and feeling disconnected a lot.
So that being said, I don’t know if I’m behind the times on discovering this group or not, but this weekend I got Wave Machine’s debut album, “Wave If You’re Really There,” which was released earlier this year, and I am loving it. It’s a great midpoint between the sounds of MGMT and Vampire Weekend—two bands that are quite different in style, but both of which I adore.
Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon and Yoko Ono
It never really feels like Christmas until the first time I hear this song each year.
This year it was hearing it sung live by Yoko herself on Japanese television.
Click the photograph to download, or click here.
Track Listing:
- Xmas Rulez, Voldemort Droolz - Harry and the Potters
- Winter Wonderland - hellogoodbye
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon
- All I Want For Christmas - Mariah Carey
- The Christmas Song - Bing Crosby
- Do You See What I See - Sufjan Stevens
- Baby It’s Cold Outside - Zooey Deschanel + Leon Redbone
- Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys
- Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday - *NSYNC
- You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch - Dr. Seuss
- Sleigh Ride - Relient K
- The First Song - Band Of Horses
- Christmas In The Room - Sufjan Stevens
- The Twelve Days of Wizard Christmas
- Christmas At The Zoo - The Flaming Lips
- Yule Shoot Your Eye Out - Fall Out Boy
- The First Noel (Nole) - Bing Crosby
- All I Want For Christmas Is Us - Tristan Prettyman + Jason Mraz
- Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
- White Christmas - Bright Eyes
- I Won’t Be Home For Christmas - Blink-182
- Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Copeland
- I’ll Be Home For Christmas - Doris Day
- The Night Before Christmas - Bright Eyes
Happy Holidays!
(via musicalgraves, and mixtapemadness)
「キセキ」by GReeeeN
One of the most popular songs of late in this country. Hear it quite often on the radio and at bars when I go out. I’ve even heard stories of elementary school students playing it on the recorder, and of groomsmen singing it a cappella at wedding receptions. The title, “kiseki,” means “miracle.”
Before leaving Tokyo orientation to move to Kurobe last week, I was (so thankful to be) able to make it out for an evening with my old friends from the summer I lived there (2007). These are the members of a great indie rock group called Yucca, and I was fortunate enough to meet them when Yuki and I were both playing solo gigs at the same venue in Shibuya. Aya has since become like a third big sister to me, and Yuusaku and Yuki make me laugh hysterically. I’m looking forward to taking some weekend trips to Tokyo this year to see them again.
Ben Folds - The Secret Life Of Morgan Davis
This was a b-side track to Rockin’ The Suburbs, and a damn fantastic one. I hadn’t listened to it in a while, but it came up on shuffle yesterday and I wanted to share.
He’s selling hash, screwing trailer trash, hey he’s making cash, it’s a whoring liiiiife!
About Me
My name is Lawrence Denes.After spending 5 years studying Japanese language, culture, literature, and history in St. Louis and Kyoto, I now live in Japan, in a town that most Japanese people have never even heard of, lost amid the rice fields and vending machines.
Please feel free to ask me anything, or send me an email.
